Hey, you! Yeah YOU!
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if you're just getting in to the hobby then pick something you like to drive on and off road since you will probably be driving it to an offroad trail. if you like broncos get one, if you like jeeps get one. like stated above you are going to modify whatever you get if you get serious about it. plenty of parts for anything you get but jeep is gonna be more expensive.

Have you looked at maybe a k5 blazer or and old k10 or k15 truck. There parts are a lot cheaper then you would pay for some jeep parts. Yes with a jeep there are so many parts for them but they also cost more.

79-85 toyota pickup. way cheaper than a jeep
lots of cool stuff for them. Marlincrawler.com
longfieldsuperaxles.com
balistic fabrication
Trail-gear.com
theres many more, just look around and decide what kind of investment u want to make. I'll swear by my yota, ridden in many jeeps and walked home too many times to own one. lol
to make a capeable yota simply get longfields(not always needed but a good idea, tough somebitches) and some tires, weld or lock the rear end and go for it. ive seen them go amazing with open front and rear diffs, all in all a wheeler will cost money whatever route you go
jeep costs the most ford bronco is probly next then a toyota. dont bother with a big honkin ford or chevy pickup. only thing u can do with those is spin your tires in a field. even then yotas go around them or through the same hole and dont break a sweat. may the force be with you.

Find something you like to look at, throw some tires on it and go find out what it will do. This web site can be dangerous, You ask about something simple and the next thing you know you have a dedicated, trailer only,trail rig.

Have you looked at maybe a k5 blazer or and old k10 or k15 truck. There parts are a lot cheaper then you would pay for some jeep parts. Yes with a jeep there are so many parts for them but they also cost more.

What he said. I know you put bronco and jeep, but a nice 2 door blazer will not only keep your wheelbase small, but you have V8 power with COUNTLESS amounts of parts available to you. Every run I go on, its almost 75% chev/gmc's of some sort. half ton, 3/4 ton, blazer, etc...

Find something you like to look at, throw some tires on it and go find out what it will do. This web site can be dangerous, You ask about something simple and the next thing you know you have a dedicated, trailer only,trail rig.

Yeah , it's easy to get carried away . . . . like it is with most sports and hobbies . Just go at it semi-realistically and dont get too far over your head , money OR talent-wise , and try to set realistic goals , what you can and can't afford to do , yet still enjoy wheeling it .

And , everyone of my vehicles are Mopar too, but no regrets .I'd suggest a Ramcharger with a 727 . Build a good , basic-solid 360 first , and then start experimenting with some of the suspension .
That's the route I'm going as I'm on a strict budget right now

That's my build. I have roughly $2000 into it. I wheeled last weekend and we had a guy driving a Toyota on 36s, chromos, locked f/r, and a healthy 4.3 running on racing fuel. He claimed he has $35k into it. I made it with only body damage. He grenaded his front end.

Get something with 4wd you like as others have mentioned your eventually going to have to modify it and its easier to work on and put in the time and sweat equity on a vehicle you like to drive. Thats why I wheel an Xterra parts are fucking expensive the motor sucks and no aftermarket support if you want to do anything more than dirt roads but I like the damn thing for some reason.

__________________
"TO BE OLD AND WISE YOU MUST FIRST BE YOUNG AND STUPID"

what are your skills?
-what can you reasonably do and what will you have to have someone else do for you? You want D.O.M. Drawn Over Manderal. There is no seam in the tube. The steel plate was rolled and welded. HEREW or ERW has an obvious seam and is half as strong as D.O.M.. Then there is Chromoly but you have to be an expert welder to weld that stuff. I stay away from it. I am a newbee!
-I am going to have Chenworth build me a custom roll cage for my Bronco. I am getting the works for $1,500. The floor will be fully caged in and the frame will be tied into the frame. I could buy this in a kit form for about the same money but it would be lacking in compairsion and I would have to weld it. I come out a head when it is all said and done by having it done.

-If you are a good welder then go ahead and build your own cage. There is always someone who will weld for you for a price.

Carburation or EFI?

I have $244.46 into my Ford EFI minus fuel injectors and sensors. It is speed density so I have to keep it tame or re-program with Moates Quarterhorse and/or Tweecer.

I can take a Holley carburator apart and put it back together and I can crossrefrence part numbers. I can use starting fluid and get the engine to run but I am not good at carburation. So I stay away from carburation.

Vacuum brakes or hydroboost?
I can get a hydroboost booster for $134. The master cylinder is $35.

You can get electric line locks as an anti-theft system. There is a thread on Pirate 4X4 about that. I think it is called "Justin's anti theft system" or Justins"-something.

My dana 60 full floater rear end has disc brakes off a Chevy K20 dana 44 front end. I got the backing plates from Blue Torch Fabrication for $65.

Then I would say make it a Jeep or Ford Bronco II, since they are roughly the same size. A Bronco is basically a short wheel base F-150, heavy and large.

Most running Jeeps (CJ-7, CJ-3) will cost about $2000 to start, Wranglers are more. A Bronco II about $1200.

One thing to consider with the Jeeps, if you park it in an urban area, is that a soft top is pretty easy to break into. The reality is any of the 1980s-1990s vehicles are easy to steal and to break into. It just seems no top or a soft top is like a bulb to a moth, for thiefs. They will spend more time slashing the window to get in then just turning the handle for the unlocked door, so they can ruffle through your stuff and pry the radio out of the dash.

Personally, I love the manual transmissions in an off road vehicle, though if you are going mainly rock crawling, then I would start with an automatic.

The big question is how much $$$ to start with because you probably want at least one diff. locker and a high lift jack going rock crawling.

For BroncoII/Ranger stuff you might want to check out the Ranger Station and the tech library.

I would say skip the early Broncos and CJ-8, they are rather pricey to start off with for a rock beater.

A rusted out non-running CJ-2 or CJ-3might be a good start if you are mechanically inclined.

__________________
[QUOTE=ffdustyw;13449095]I've been pepper sprayed so many times by women it doesn't effect me anymore.
The bear spray idea is retarded. Trip wires with claymores are more effective. Plus it will keep the hippy squatters like Chris McCandless out of your cabin.[/QUOTE]

Bronco II is a two-door short wheel base Explorer. I have found the longer wheel base to handle better.

All of the above have been well explored and are more budget oriented.

Don't count out other 4x4s, especially if you find one to be the one. I am 24 and waited my whole life for a Bronco and finally acquired a tub, frame and title last year for $900. I could have bought a Jeep Cherokee for less and had instant fun but having already done that a few times and realizing that I really wanted a Bronco I decided to be nice to myself.

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